Dubai’s financial centre to welcome ‘grand mosque’ in 2019

A major mosque is set to open in Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) next year, the DIFC Authority has said.

The ‘DIFC Grand Mosque’, with a capacity of more than 500 worshippers, will serve all five daily prayer times, as well as Friday and Ramadan prayers, and be accessible form street level 24 hours a day.

The design spans 14,500sqft and takes the form of a simple cube with a hanging mashrabiya screen on the outside to provide privacy and shade to private areas and openings in public areas.

Key details of the interior, which features an expansive main chandelier, will be visible from the outside including the main prayer hall.

The mosque forms part of the upcoming Dhs1bn ($272.2m) Gate Avenue project, which is set to link the podium levels of all buildings in DIFC from the Gate and Central Park towers over 660,000sqm.

The development will have 200 dining, retail and entertainment options.

DIFC Authority said last year the wider project would open in the first half of 2018.

That deadline has now been missed and it is unclear when the wider project will open.